2019 One Book, One Community: Stories of Immigration and the American Dream

Imagine if every single person in Kitsap read the same book? What kind of conversations could we spark? Each year, Kitsap Regional Library invites the community to participate in a shared reading experience, building a starting place for open discussion on tough topics. Our 2019 title is “Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue. Realistic, tragic and still remarkably kind to all of its characters. Reading this story together can build a foundation for conversations about race, family and immigration, and allows us to explore our history and how different versions of the American Dream have shaped our community. Through the month of February, we invite you to read the book and join us in conversation as we explore the unique stories of our community, individual visions of the American Dream, and how immigration has shaped Kitsap. Throughout the month, join a book group in your community, meet the author and contribute your stories here - with StoryCorps. This is our way of taking the conversation one step further. Talk to the people you know, or the people you don't know, and share those stories with our Community. Share where you are from, how you or your ancestors came to be here in Kitsap County or how you view the American Dream. Together, we will create a diverse collection of stories representing how our unique and varied backgrounds have shaped the Kitsap that we call home today. Visit onebook.KRL.org for all the details on how to participate in this year's program, and to check out a copy of the book. Ebooks, audiobooks and print are available at your favorite branch.